1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for transmitting information from e-mail messages which are intended for a subscriber of a telecommunication network and which are filed in an e-mail service, and to a method for transmitting messages or information of a subscriber of a telecommunication network to an e-mail service, and finally to a telecommunication system with at least one network, particularly a mobile radio network with an e-mail service for the reception and loading of e-mail messages and with a voice mail service for the reception and loading of voice mail messages.
2. Description of the Related Art
E-mail (electronic mail) services are known and are available in many networks. A subscriber of the network can usually access such services via a modem and a PC (personal computer). After connecting to a server, for example, the subscriber obtains the indication that there are e-mail messages for stored on the server which are addressed to the subscriber. The messages can then be retrieved to the subscriber""s PC and read on the computer monitor or printed.
Often xe2x80x94on trips, for examplexe2x80x94only a mobile radio device, such as a cellular telephone, for speech services is available to a network subscriber, so that e-mail messages that have been loaded in an e-mail service for the subscriber cannot be retrieved or read out. In the conventional communication networks of today, particularly in mobile radio networks, a voice mail service in which spoken messages of other subscribers are filed, in what is typically called a voice mailbox, is usually available.
To a limited extent, in SMS services (Short Message Service) which are set up in mobile radio networks, messages can also be forwarded to the subscriber in alphanumeric form even when a PC is not available. The limitation in the message length is service-specific, for example, a limit of 160 characters may be imposed, on the one hand, and the length may also limited by the size of the conventional display in mobile radio devices, on the other hand.
It is an object of the present invention to enable a subscriber to access e-mail messages even when output or display of the messages in written form is permanently or temporarily not possible.
This and other objects are inventively achieved in a method for transmitting information from an e-mail message which is intended for a subscriber of a telecommunication network and filed in an e-mail service in that, subsequent to the activation of a corresponding service, messages arriving in the e-mail service for the subscriber are at least partially converted into speech, forwarded to a voice mail service, and loaded there as a spoken message.
With the aid of the invention, a subscriber to whom a PC is not available can still access e-mail messages, even if the messages are extensive, if he or she is travelling with a mobile telephone, for example. Since the e-mail messages are loaded in the voice mail service, i.e. in the voice mailbox, given an activated mobile radio device, the subscriber sees on the display of the mobile radio device that there are voice mail messages present, which can then be retrieved. Thus, on the one hand, the conventional, actual spoken messages of remote subscribers, and on the other hand, e-mail messages that have been converted into speech, either in their entirety or parts of such messages, are available via this voice mailbox.
It is advantageous if the service can be activated from the subscriber side by the creation and transmission of an activation message and subsequently configuring of the email service, since the subscriber thereby has a random access to such a service, which is typically a toll service. In this respect, it is also appropriate if the service can be deactivated on the subscriber side by the creation and transmission of a deactivation message.
It is also advantageous if information is sent to the subscriber on the voice mail service side when there are messages stored in the voice mail service which are superfluous due to specific inquiries, conditions or instructions of the subscriber.
Another selection option of the subscriber, and also a way to avoid undesirable e-mails, can be achieved if the service is activated, or respectively, deactivated only for e-mails with prescribed features, e.g. the messages is activated only for e-mail messages from a predetermined sender address. Such features can be advantageously prescribed from the subscriber side in the activation message.
It is another object of the invention to give the subscriber an opportunity to feed messages into an e-mail service although the usual means required for this, in particular a PC, are not present.
To achieve these and other objects, the invention proceeds from a method for transmitting messages or information of a subscriber of a telecommunication network to an e-mail service, in which method, subsequent to the activation of a corresponding service, information spoken on the subscriber side is inventively converted into digital written form using speech recognition, is forwarded to the e-mail service, and is loaded there as stored information.
In this way, the subscriber can input by speech e-mail messages for transmittal to other subscribers who are accessible at specific e-mail addresses, and these messages can then be displayed, or respectively, printed out in written form at the destination point at the remote subscriber.
In order to give the subscriber greater freedom of choice, it is advantageous if the service is activated from the subscriber side by the generation and transmission of an activation message and the subsequent configuring of the voice mail, or respectively, e-mail service. It is also recommended that the service be deactivated from the subscriber side by the generation and transmission of a deactivation message, since this toll service is not always needed.
Convenience is increased for the subscriber if an item of information is sent to the e-mail addressees on the e-mail service side as soon as there are messages present. Also, for better information of the subscriber, the current status of the service should be conveyed to the subscriber via a status message subsequent to the subscriber""s query.
The inventive method is particularly recommended if the telecommunication network is a mobile radio network, although it can also be used in purely stationary networks, such as regular telephone system.
The stated objects are also achieved with a telecommunication network, particularly a mobile radio network, with an e-mail service for the reception and loading of e-mail messages and with a voice mail service for the reception and loading of voice mail messages in which network an e-mail/voice mail converter is provided, which is arranged for at least partial conversion of e-mail messages into speech and/or of speech into digital written form, and in which a control logic unit is provided for the actuation of the converter by command messages of a subscriber.
The advantages that can be achieved with such a telecommunication network have already been detailed in connection with the discussion of the method.
It is appropriate if the converter has a vocoder, or voice coder, which is controlled on the e-mail service side, or respectively, if the converter has a speech recognition unit for speech which arrives at a subscriber side or at a voice mail service side.